Warm weather and sunny skies brought out volunteers in droves for the annual PRIDE Spring Cleanup at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The event took place March 25 with 492 volunteers registering to help pick up trash along Highway 90 leading into Cumberland Falls as well as around the park. This event kicks off Spring Cleanup month where communities throughout PRIDE’s 42 county service area gather together to clean the roadways, waterways and visitor attractions.
Volunteers of all ages came out and picked up 369 bags of trash, 62 bags of recyclables and 41 tires. Participants came from across the region to help in the cleanup efforts. This year McCreary County took home the “Trash Cup” for the most volunteers with 216 participants. Pine Knot Job Corps had the most volunteers for a school and the McCreary County ATV Club had the most participants for a civic group.

“It was amazing to see so many folks coming out for this kickoff event,” said PRIDE’s Tammie Wilson. “Tourism season is upon us and it is important to make a good impression on visitors as they enter one of the region’s most popular attractions. It is so rewarding to see citizens take pride in their community and make it better for both residents and visitors.”

After the Cleanup, lunch was prepared and served by Pine Knot Job Corps for volunteers and they were given a commemorative “Generation of Change” t-shirt for their efforts. Door prizes were also given to several lucky winners thanks to the generous donations from local businesses and community organizations. PRIDE has been hosting a Spring Cleanup at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park since 2008. This year marks the 20^th anniversary of PRIDE and their efforts to make a positive impact on the environment throughout the region.

PRIDE would like to thank this year’s Spring Cleanup sponsors, Walmart, Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, The Tennessee Valley Authority, Kentucky Utilities and Kentucky American Water. Their generous donations help make Spring Cleanup events across the region possible.

About PRIDE

PRIDE, which stands for “Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment,” was founded in 1997 by Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-5) and the late James Bickford, who was the Kentucky Secretary for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. The PRIDE mission is to contribute to the economic and cultural growth of southern and eastern Kentucky by improving water quality, cleaning up solid waste problems and advancing environmental education, in order to improve living conditions for its residents while enhancing the potential for tourism industry growth in the region.

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